Five stories in the news today, Feb. 10

Five stories in the news today, Feb. 10, from The Canadian Press:

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DION: LEBANON AND JORDAN AT ‘TIPPING POINT’

Lebanon and Jordan are at a critical “tipping point” and need more Canadian help in order to survive the pressure of the Syrian civil war, said Foreign Affairs Minister Stephane Dion in an interview. He said why Canada will beef up its military and diplomatic presence in the two countries as part of its reconfigured contribution to the U.S.-led coalition battling Islamic militants in the region.

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GHOMESHI TRIAL CONTINUES IN TORONTO

Jian Ghomeshi’s sexual assault trial is to resume today in a Toronto court with closing submissions expected on Thursday. On Tuesday, the presiding judge agreed to look at evidence from one final witness the Crown wanted to call in the closely watched case. Ghomeshi has pleaded not guilty to four counts of sexual assault and one count of overcoming resistance by choking.

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MANUFACTURING’S HURDLES ‘SIGNIFICANT’: FEDS

Amid hopes that Canadian manufacturing will drive economic growth in a country reeling from low oil prices, internal federal documents warn the sector’s rebirth is staring at “significant” structural obstacles. In a recent memo addressed to Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains, advisers point to industry hurdles that include low productivity, poor innovation, a failure to scale up and weak participation in global value chains.

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TAXIS TO PROTEST UBER WITH BLOCKADE

Taxi and limousine drivers in Montreal plan to block access to certain sites across the city today in protest against Uber. The Quebec branch of the United Steelworkers union, which represents many of the city’s taxi drivers, is trying to pressure the provincial government into forcing Uber to stop operating during the upcoming legislative inquiry into the taxi industry.

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MANITOBA CHANGES HOW IT COUNTS KIDS IN CARE

Manitoba is changing how it counts the number of children in its care to exclude hundreds cases like Tina Fontaine’s amid concerns it is being unfairly compared to other provinces. The 15-year-old, who was killed in 2014, was placed into the care of Child and Family Services voluntarily by her guardians. Unlike other provinces, Manitoba counts kids in voluntary placement agreements in its total number of 10,293 children in its care.

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ALSO IN THE NEWS TODAY:

— The trial of Dellen Millard and Mark Smich, who are both charged in the death of Tim Bosma, continues in Hamilton.

— Alberta auditor general Merwan Saher will release a report.

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